With only a few weeks until the 2024 presidential election, voters must consider which candidate will lead America back to prosperity, security and unity. After three and a half years of inept leadership from current President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, including economic challenges, rising crime and unchecked immigration, President Donald Trump stands as the only candidate capable of restoring this nation to greatness. His track record as president demonstrates that he is ready and eager to quickly rebuild our struggling economy, secure the open border and restore strength at home and abroad.
As a college student, finding a way to make money, pay for groceries, gas and emergencies, and trying to afford a four-year degree is already difficult enough. Even after college, there remains a looming question of how I’m supposed to afford an apartment or house with surging year-over-year inflation and under the current administration, interest rates on 30-year mortgages have peaked since November of 2000.
Under the failed Biden-Harris administration, inflation has surged, eroding the savings of everyday Americans and increasing the cost of basic goods. Gas prices have soared, and families are struggling to make ends meet.
In contrast, Trump presided over one of the strongest economies in our recent history. Before the pandemic, unemployment reached historic fifty-year lows, especially among minority communities. Wages were rising, and inflation averaged 1.45% year over year compared to President Biden’s 3.4%. Trump’s economic policies included major tax cuts for all Americans and mass deregulation for businesses, unleashing innovation and investment while benefiting small businesses and large corporations alike.
Trump’s focus on American manufacturing and trade deals that put United States workers first brought jobs back to the country. The tariffs on China, while controversial, were part of a larger strategy to ensure that American workers were not being undercut by foreign competition. The Biden-Harris administration has chosen to continue these tariffs because they see its effectiveness in bringing jobs back and as a way of generating revenue. A second Trump term promises a return to those pro-growth policies that prioritize American workers and families over bureaucratic red tape and globalist trade deals that have left so many behind.
The most glaring failure of the Biden-Harris administration has been the absolute disaster that is the current state of the American southern border. The U.S. Border Patrol has reported over 10 million encounters with illegal aliens, many of whom have been “caught and released” into the interior of the country. This figure does not include an estimated nearly 2 million “getaways” that have evaded detection and crossed into the U.S., overwhelming local communities and stretching resources thin.
According to the U.S. Border Patrol Council, there are 49,900 average monthly getaways and 3.5 million total asylum-seeking migrants that have been released into the U.S. since Biden took office. This administration has failed to deliver on its promise of dealing with the border crisis and cut immigration enforcement significantly compared to the Trump administration. Voters are feeling the impact. Kamala Harris, given the role of “leading” on the border crisis, has failed the American people.
On the other hand, Trump’s border policy was clear and effective: secure the border, enforce immigration laws and empower border patrol to do their job. Trump instituted his “Remain in Mexico” policy, requiring those seeking asylum to stay over the border until their court date. Under Trump, border security was prioritized, ensuring that immigration to the U.S. was legal, orderly and beneficial to the nation. His track record is clear. Trump will restore law and order to our southern border.
In the past few years, we’ve seen a lack of decisive leadership. Harris has repeatedly claimed that she was the “last one in the room” during the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan that killed 13 American servicemen. This foreign policy disaster revealed our weak and incompetent leadership to the world, ultimately leading to the invasion of Ukraine. On the contrary, Trump’s tough stance on our adversaries, decisive actions and his show of peace through strength made him the only president in over 42 years with no new active conflicts.
Voters have a clear choice: continue with the disastrous leadership and incompetence of the past few years or choose a leader who has proven he can deliver economic prosperity, secure our borders and restore peace. Trump is that leader. Voting for him is a vote to restore American exceptionalism, and make America great again.
Drew Belcher is a sophomore majoring in political science. He is writing as an independent opinion columnist for The Miami Student. Drew is the Southern regional director for the Ohio College Republican Federation and the Membership and Events Director for Miami University College Republicans.
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